National Grid announces plan to improve electric, natural gas systems

PROVIDENCE – National Grid on Monday announced its fiscal 2016 statewide infrastructure “safety and reliability” plan to improve its electric and natural gas systems, totaling an estimated $150 million.
Accordingly, a typical residential electricity customer – using 500 kilowatt hours each month – will see an increase on average of less than one percent – or 79 cents per month – to their monthly electricity bill, according to National Grid.
The average residential heating customers – using 846 therms of heat per year – would see an increase on average of $2.83 – or 2.7 percent – to their monthly natural gas bill.
The plan includes a $73.3 million investment into the National Grid electric system and another $76.8 million investment into its natural gas system.
The state Public Utilities Commission approved the plan last month.
Timothy F. Horan, president of National Grid Rhode Island, said in a statement that the company is “committed to improving and sustaining” its infrastructure in the Ocean State.
“The commission’s approval of our two plans will allow our customers to continue to receive safe and reliable energy for years to come,” Horan said in a statement. “We look forward to working closely with local public works officials and communities as we begin this year’s improvement projects throughout the state.”
Electric system improvements include the replacement of existing equipment at the South Street Substation in Providence to “address capacity and asset condition issues to accommodate existing and future electric needs of downtown Providence,” with a completion date slated for 2019.
National Grid also will install a new substation, a sub-transmission line and distribution feeders on Aquidneck Island to address normal and contingency electricity load, subsequently retiring five substations in Newport and Middletown with a projected completion date of 2019.
Additional work includes expanding the Quonset Substation and ongoing tree trimming along about 1,250 miles of power lines.
Natural gas system improvement includes:

  • Proactive replacement and improvement of more than 50 miles of leak-prone pipeline throughout Rhode Island.
  • Structural upgrades to natural gas pressure regulating facilities.
  • Gas system expansion, including the installation of new gas mains and service lines.
  • Gas planning work, including the elimination of single feeds, valve work, system resiliency and more.
  • Liquid natural gas plan improvements in Exeter and Cumberland.

“Through construction and completion phases of these improvement projects, National Grid will work closely with local municipalities to mitigate traffic disruption and will notify abutting property owners of construction work schedules,” according to the company.

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